Samsung Electronics is expanding professional installation and service training for heat pumps as it steps up efforts to target Korea's electric heating and cooling market.

Samsung Electronics said on Sept. 10 that it opened a dedicated EHS heat pump training center at its CS Academy in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The company provides business-to-business (B2B) partners and installation engineers with training covering water piping construction, product installation, commissioning and service inspections.

The EHS heat pump is a system that uses air-source heat and electricity to provide cooling, heating and hot water. Samsung Electronics installed water tanks, hot-water distributors, water piping equipment and fan coil units (FCUs) at the training center to create an environment similar to actual installation sites. It also provides commissioning training using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based appliance diagnostic program.

The company will also begin domestic production. Samsung Electronics has established a production line for EHS heat pump boilers at its Gwangju plant in Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City, and plans to begin mass production at the end of this month.

Samsung Electronics installed an EHS heat pump boiler at a detached house in Jeju in June and is testing its "EHS All-in-One" system, which provides cooling, heating and hot water through a single system. The company is also testing its suitability for apartment buildings at Samsung C&T's Residential Performance Research Institute in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

"We will respond to the growing electrification of heating by expanding professional training and service infrastructure following the establishment of our domestic production base," said Lim Sung-taek, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics' Digital Appliances (DA) Business.

HD Hyundai is expanding its supplier support program beyond first-tier partners to second- and third-tier suppliers, covering about 7,500 companies working with its shipbuilding, power equipment and construction machinery affiliates.

HD Hyundai said on Sept. 10 that it signed a joint agreement for mutual growth with first-, second- and third-tier suppliers at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard. Five affiliates — HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Hyundai Samho, HD Hyundai Marine Solution, HD Hyundai Electric and HD Construction Equipment — are participating.

The five affiliates will pay suppliers in cash and cash-equivalent instruments. They will also operate financial support programs to help stabilize suppliers’ operations and provide training and equipment to improve productivity and safety.

The companies will also provide technology escrow programs to protect suppliers’ technology assets and support efforts to strengthen cybersecurity capabilities. First- and second-tier suppliers will improve payment terms for second- and third-tier suppliers, respectively, and expand the use of mutual-growth payment systems.

“Suppliers are our partners for sustainable growth,” an HD Hyundai official said. “We will continue cooperation and support for mutual growth.”

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has selected Korean battery startup UBATT as the battery supplier for the KF-21, filling a supply-chain gap created by Israeli company SolarEdge's withdrawal from its battery business in Korea.

KAI recently selected UBATT to supply batteries for 80 KF-21s planned after the initial production run of 40 aircraft, as well as for export models, according to industry sources on Sept. 10. UBATT is a startup specializing in batteries for aerospace and defense applications.

Development of the KF-21 began in 2015 and was completed this year. The battery supplier was finalized relatively late because SolarEdge, the previous supplier, exited the battery business. SolarEdge entered the defense battery market after acquiring Korean battery maker Kokam in 2018, taking over its military battery technology and production infrastructure and supplying batteries for the KF-21.

The issue arose when SolarEdge decided in late 2024 to withdraw from its Korean operations. The company agreed to supply batteries only for its existing contracted volume, requiring KAI to find another supplier for subsequent production.

KAI began searching for a replacement last year. UBATT competed with LiBEST, Grinergy, RootJade, Enertech International and Top Material, according to industry sources. Some companies, including LiBEST, had been considered strong candidates after participating in aerospace battery development, but UBATT was ultimately selected. UBATT will manufacture and supply the battery cells, while ITScience will assemble them into packs and deliver them to KAI.

UBATT's core technology is its proprietary Thick Electrode Platform (TEP). Thicker electrodes can store more energy but may reduce power output and performance. UBATT's technology is designed to mitigate those limitations by maintaining electrode uniformity while increasing thickness. The company is developing high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries and lithium metal batteries (LMBs). It has its own production facilities and can handle battery cell design and manufacturing in-house.

Before the KF-21 battery project, UBATT jointly developed batteries with KAI for unmanned aircraft used in Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) systems. It has also developed drone batteries with Poongsan and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).

UBATT was selected for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration's Defense Innovation Company 100 program in 2024 in recognition of its technology. It won the startup category at the InterBattery 2025 Awards last year and has attracted investments from Hyundai Motor, Korea Development Bank and POSCO Technology Investment.

The KF-21 is a domestically developed 4.5-generation fighter aircraft led by KAI over about a decade since 2015. System development was completed this year, and the first production aircraft rolled out in March. The aircraft is scheduled to be delivered to the Republic of Korea Air Force this month.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration plans to deliver 40 KF-21s to the Air Force by 2028 and add another 80 by 2032, bringing the fleet to 120 aircraft. KAI has already secured production contracts for the 40 aircraft scheduled for delivery through 2028.

About 65% of the components used in the KF-21, including the battery, are domestically produced. That is a higher localization rate than previous fighter aircraft produced under license in Korea. The domestically developed T-50 supersonic advanced trainer has a localization rate of about 59%. KAI plans to raise the KF-21's component localization rate to more than 80%.

"We cannot confirm any contract with KAI or whether we will supply batteries for the KF-21," a UBATT official said.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will invest more than 1 trillion won in land-based power generation engines and small modular reactors (SMRs) to meet growing electricity demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

The company said in a regulatory filing on Sept. 10 that it will invest a total of 1.0722 trillion won to build a new power generation engine production base and a dedicated plant for SMR main components.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will invest 833.6 billion won in power generation engines. It will build a HiMSEN engine production base with annual capacity of 3 gigawatts (GW) in Onsan, Ulju County, Ulsan. The facility, covering about 215,000 square meters, will include plants for engine assembly and testing, crankshaft machining and engine block casting. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year, with operations starting in May 2028.

HD Hyundai plans to produce land-based power generation engines at the new plant and HD Hyundai Engine in Yeongam, South Jeolla Province, while the existing Ulsan plant will focus on marine engines. Total HiMSEN engine production capacity is expected to increase from 3 GW annually to 7.2 GW by 2030.

The company will also invest 238.6 billion won in SMRs. It plans to build a dedicated plant for SMR main components at its Ulsan shipyard, with completion scheduled for the first half of 2029. HD Hyundai is also working with TerraPower to commercialize the Natrium next-generation SMR.

“We will secure core competitiveness in power generation engines and SMRs to respond to rapidly growing electricity demand and target the global AI infrastructure market,” an HD Hyundai Heavy Industries official said.

TLB said it is participating in KPCA Show 2026 at Songdo Convensia in Incheon, marking the first time the company has set up an independent booth at the exhibition. It also won awards in three categories.

The company is showcasing printed circuit boards (PCBs) for Small Outline Compression Attached Memory Module (SOCAMM), Low Power Compression Attached Memory Module (LPCAMM) and Compute Express Link (CXL) memory modules. TLB is expanding beyond its core memory module business to address growing demand for high-performance, high-bandwidth memory in next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) servers and high-performance computing (HPC).

TLB also unveiled a PCB for high-speed memory modules supporting data rates of 8,600 MT/s, or 8.6 billion data transfers per second. As memory interface speeds increase, PCB design technologies that reduce signal loss and interference have become increasingly important.

The company is also displaying PCBs based on the Enterprise and Data Center Standard Form Factor (EDSFF) for solid-state drives (SSDs) used in data centers. EDSFF is a next-generation SSD form factor designed for data center applications.

TLB received the Best Booth Design Award, KPCA Education Award and Rising Partner Award at the exhibition. The company was recognized for effectively presenting its next-generation technologies through its exhibition space, as well as for its efforts to advance the PCB industry and strengthen future competitiveness.

“At our first exhibition at KPCA Show, we were able to showcase our next-generation products directly to customers and industry officials,” a TLB official said. “We will expand new business opportunities in AI, data centers and next-generation memory markets.”

LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) discussed potential defense cooperation between Korea and Japan with former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

LIG D&A said Ishiba and a delegation including Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koichi Mizushima visited the company's Pangyo House in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 9.

The delegation reviewed LIG D&A's key defense technologies, including precision-guided weapons such as the Cheongung-II, as well as surveillance and reconnaissance systems, avionics, and space and unmanned systems.

LIG D&A CEO Shin Ik-hyun and Ishiba's delegation also exchanged views on the security environment in Northeast Asia, security cooperation between Korea and Japan, and potential collaboration between the two countries' defense industries.

LS ELECTRIC will jointly develop renewable energy projects in Korea with Korea Midland Power (KOMIPO).

LS ELECTRIC said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KOMIPO on Sept. 9 to jointly identify and develop renewable energy projects in Korea.

The companies will cooperate on onshore wind, solar power and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. Their partnership will cover the full project cycle, including identifying new projects, investment and financing, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), power equipment supply and power plant operations.

The companies will initially pursue onshore wind projects and later expand their cooperation into solar power and BESS. They will also consider using LS ELECTRIC's EPC services and equipment in jointly developed projects.

"We will enhance our competitiveness in renewable energy projects by combining the two companies' power generation and EPC capabilities," said Park Woo-bum, senior vice president and head of LS ELECTRIC's EA business division.

Gaon Cable, a subsidiary of LS Cable & System, has entered Canada's public power grid market for the first time.

Gaon Cable said Sept. 9 it recently supplied medium-voltage (MV) cables to a major public utility in western Canada. It marks the company's first export of power cables to Canada.

Gaon Cable plans to use its entry into Canada as a springboard to expand orders in the North American public power grid market. Canada is expanding and modernizing its transmission and distribution networks to meet rising electricity demand driven by the growth of AI data centers and advanced manufacturing.

The company also expects its North American sales to increase. Gaon Cable is expanding local supply through its headquarters and U.S. manufacturing subsidiary LSCUS in North Carolina.

Gaon Cable expects North American sales to rise more than 50% to about $470 million this year from about $300 million last year.

"We will continue to strengthen our presence in the North American power infrastructure market spanning the U.S. and Canada," Gaon Cable CEO Chung Hyun said.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is showcasing the KF-21 and Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) systems in Poland as it seeks to expand its presence in the European market.

KAI said Sept. 9 it is participating in the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO 2026), being held in Kielce, Poland, from Sept. 8 to 11.

KAI displayed its Next-generation Air Combat System (NACS), linking the KF-21, unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicles (AAPs) and low-Earth-orbit communications satellites. It is also showcasing a MUM-T system connecting the FA-50 with an AAP.

In the rotary-wing segment, KAI unveiled systems linking Air-Launched Effects (ALEs) with the Marine Attack Helicopter (MAH) and Light Armed Helicopter (LAH). KAI plans to offer the MAH, whose system development was completed in August 2026, to European countries seeking to replace their helicopter fleets.

KAI is seeking follow-on business opportunities for the FA-50 in Poland. It also plans to pursue new projects in European countries with fighter replacement demand, including Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia.

Hanwha Ocean has been selected as the preferred bidder for the Royal Thai Navy's next-generation frigate project worth about 680 billion won.

Hanwha Ocean said Sept. 9 that it was named the preferred bidder for the Royal Thai Navy's next-generation frigate acquisition program and will begin detailed negotiations toward a final contract.

The Royal Thai Navy has set a budget of 16.73 billion baht, or about 683.3 billion won, for the construction of one frigate and integrated logistics support.

Hanwha Ocean will negotiate technical specifications, project scope and contract terms with the Royal Thai Navy. The final project value and contract terms will be determined based on the outcome of the negotiations.

Defense companies from Spain, Singapore and Türkiye competed for the project alongside Hanwha Ocean. The South Korean shipbuilder previously delivered the frigate "Bhumibol Adulyadej" to the Royal Thai Navy in 2018.

Hanwha Ocean plans to expand follow-on naval defense cooperation with Thailand and pursue additional opportunities in Southeast Asia's surface combatant market.

HD Hyundai is expanding cooperation with the Philippine government on naval modernization and the development of the country’s shipbuilding industry.

HD Hyundai said Sept. 8 that Chairman Chung Ki-sun met Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. in Seoul on Sept. 7 to discuss cooperation in shipbuilding and defense.

HD Hyundai has expanded its naval vessel business in the Philippines since winning a contract for the Philippine Navy’s first frigates in 2016. The company has secured orders for 12 naval vessels in the country and delivered six of them.

The two sides will continue cooperation on naval modernization, including follow-on frigate programs. They will also expand cooperation in the local shipbuilding industry.

HD Hyundai began operations at HD Hyundai Philippines in Subic last year. It recently launched the first vessel built locally and plans to deliver it to the shipowner next year.

“Based on the mutual trust we have built over the past 10 years, we will explore opportunities for long-term industrial cooperation in a wide range of areas beyond commercial and naval shipbuilding,” Chung said.

DN Solutions received a Prime Minister's Commendation for its development and localization of machine tools used in advanced industries including semiconductors and aerospace.

DN Solutions said Sept. 8 that Vice President Song Ji-ho received the Prime Minister's Commendation at the 2026 Technology Developers' Day ceremony held on Sept. 7.

Song has worked on machine tool development for 25 years, leading the localization of turning centers and multitasking machines. Key products include the PUMA GT3100 series of global-standard turning centers, the SMX series of multitasking machines and the DNC series of grinding machines for semiconductor materials.

The DNC series can process a range of materials, including quartz, silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC) and ceramics, on a single machine.

DN Solutions applied its proprietary precision grinding technology to achieve nanometer-level machining accuracy. The equipment can be used to process consumable components for semiconductor manufacturing as well as aerospace parts.

Song also led the digitalization and standardization of processes for managing customer-specific machine tool options and the development of an in-house enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The system provides integrated management of operations ranging from sales to production and shipment histories, as well as product specifications.

Park Woo-jin, head of Global Product Development at LS ELECTRIC, received the Science and Technology Medal for his contributions to localizing core distribution equipment technologies and developing direct-current (DC) power equipment.

LS ELECTRIC said Sept. 8 that Park received the award at the Technology Developers’ Day ceremony held in Seoul on Sept. 7.

Park developed core technologies for low- and high-voltage distribution equipment, including air circuit breakers (ACBs), vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs) and ring main units (RMUs). He also contributed to securing proprietary design technologies for distribution equipment that had previously relied heavily on imports.

In DC power equipment, Park led the development of South Korea’s first 1,000-volt DC ACB, followed by the world’s first 1,500V-class DC ACB and disconnect switch unit (DSU). The products can be used in high-power infrastructure such as artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

LS ELECTRIC’s ACB and VCB product lines, including DC products, generated cumulative revenue of more than 1 trillion won from 2021 through 2025. The company supplies the products to overseas markets including the US and Europe.

Hyundai Rotem will showcase its Poland-specific K2 tank, or K2PL, equipped with mission equipment developed with Polish defense companies.

Hyundai Rotem said Sept. 8 that it will participate in the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO), held in Kielce, Poland, from Sept. 8 to 11. Its exhibit will feature the K2PL as well as armored vehicle-launched bridge, combat engineering and recovery variants.

The K2PL is expected to feature an active protection system (APS) to counter anti-tank guided missiles and drone threats, a drone jammer and a remote-controlled weapon system (RCWS).

Hyundai Rotem will also unveil for the first time a Mobile Camouflage System (MCS) for tanks made by Polish defense company Miranda. At the exhibition, the camouflage system will be fitted to a K2 tank currently being supplied to Poland.

The company will also unveil for the first time a Poland-specific armored vehicle-launched bridge being jointly developed with Polish defense company OBRUM. The vehicle will be equipped with bridge mission equipment developed for Poland's battlefield environment.

Hyundai Rotem will also display a model of its HR-Sherpa multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle fitted with an RCWS from Poland's ZMT, as well as a 30-ton wheeled armored vehicle equipped with an unmanned turret for a multilayer counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS).

Hyundai Rotem is preparing for local production under its second K2 tank executive contract with Poland's Armament Agency. In April, it signed an agreement with Bumar-Łabędy, a unit of Polish state-owned defense group PGZ, to cooperate on local production and maintenance of the K2PL and armored recovery vehicles.

LIG Defense & Aerospace (LIG D&A) discussed cooperation in air defense systems with the Czech government.

LIG D&A said Sept. 8 that Czech Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Jaromír Zůna visited its Pangyo House in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 7. Zůna was in South Korea to attend the Seoul Defense Dialogue (SDD).

LIG D&A introduced Zůna to air defense solutions including the L-SAM long-range surface-to-air missile system and counter-drone systems. The company also presented its system integration technologies for building a multilayer air defense network capable of responding to threats from low to high altitudes.

The Czech Republic is pursuing the modernization of its air defense systems as part of efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities. The two sides discussed technological cooperation related to the modernization program as well as potential future cooperation in the defense industry.

LIG D&A plans to expand its air defense business in European markets, including the Czech Republic, while pursuing cooperation with local companies in areas such as technology collaboration and joint development.

HD Hyundai Oilbank said on Aug. 11 it has commercialized South Korea's first engine oil specifically designed for hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2-ICE).

The company said it has begun supplying its XTeer H2-ICE engine oil to hydrogen commercial vehicle manufacturers, including Tata Daewoo Mobility.

HD Hyundai Oilbank began developing lubricant technology for hydrogen internal combustion engines in 2023 and completed product development and performance validation last year.

Hydrogen internal combustion engines operate at higher combustion temperatures than conventional internal combustion engines and generate moisture during combustion, which can accelerate engine wear and degrade lubricant performance.

According to the company, the new engine oil incorporates technologies designed to protect engine components, control moisture and suppress deposits generated during the combustion process.

An HD Hyundai Oilbank official said the company has secured proprietary lubricant technology for hydrogen internal combustion engines and successfully commercialized the product.

The official added that the company plans to expand its portfolio of high-value-added lubricant products targeting the global market.

SFA has begun shipping manufacturing equipment for LS Cable & System's subsea cable plant in the United States.

The company said on Aug. 11 it held a shipment ceremony for the first 10,000-metric-ton-class turntable destined for LS Cable & System's manufacturing facility in Virginia. Between the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of this year, SFA secured turntable supply contracts worth approximately 150 billion won.

SFA will deliver dozens of turntables to the Virginia plant in phases through the end of 2027.

Turntables are used to wind, store and transport completed subsea cables to the next stage of the manufacturing process. Because long-distance subsea cables are highly susceptible to excessive tension and twisting, the equipment must precisely control cable handling. The turntables supplied by SFA measure more than 40 meters in diameter.

Working with LS Cable & System, SFA has developed subsea cable manufacturing equipment, including vertical continuous vulcanization (VCV) systems and turntables. The company has also supplied similar equipment to LS Cable & System's subsea cable plant in Donghae, Gangwon Province.

An SFA official said the company intends to successfully complete the Virginia project by leveraging its experience supplying 3,000-ton-class VCV systems and 10,000-ton-class turntables, while positioning itself to secure additional business opportunities as LS Cable & System expands its US investment.

Hanwha Solutions said on Aug. 11 it has commercialized a power cable material containing 50% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic feedstock.

The company said it has completed customer qualification for CHBA-8241RC, a high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-based jacket material for power cables made with recycled plastic feedstock.

CHBA-8241RC is a proprietary composite material developed by Hanwha Solutions. According to the company, it maintains electrical performance comparable to conventional products while reducing carbon emissions by approximately 34% per kilogram of material.

Hanwha Solutions completed product development and pilot production last year. In the first half of this year, it finished production trials and quality validation with cable manufacturers. The company said the commercialization expands its cable materials portfolio from ultra-high-voltage insulation materials to environmentally friendly cable jacket compounds.

Hanwha Solutions is also expanding its recycled polyethylene (rPE) business using waste plastics. Its related products have obtained Global Recycled Standard (GRS) and ISCC PLUS certifications and are used in applications including consumer electronics packaging, cosmetic containers and industrial recycled packaging bags.

Hanwha Group has increased its stake in Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to more than 15%, broadening its base for participation in the key decision-making of the country's sole aircraft manufacturer.

Hanwha Systems disclosed on Aug. 10 that it had acquired an additional 3.45% stake in KAI through open-market purchases over the past month.

Following the purchases, Hanwha Group's combined ownership in KAI has risen to 15.89%, consisting of a 9.90% stake held by Hanwha Aerospace, a 4.98% stake held by Hanwha Systems and a 1.01% stake held by Hanwha Aerospace USA.

Hanwha is now KAI's second-largest shareholder. With its ownership exceeding 15%, the group plans to file for a business combination review with South Korea's Fair Trade Commission. KAI's largest shareholder remains the Export-Import Bank of Korea, which owns 26.41% of the company.

Hanwha and KAI have already been expanding cooperation in the aerospace sector. In February, the two companies agreed to pursue joint development of an aircraft engine for a future version of the KF-21 fighter jet, collaborate on unmanned aircraft development and exports, and jointly enter commercial space markets involving satellites and launch vehicles.

Hanwha Aerospace is active in aircraft engines and space launch vehicles, while Hanwha Systems operates radar and satellite businesses. KAI is South Korea's only fully integrated aircraft manufacturer and possesses system integration capabilities across fighter jets, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. Industry observers say closer cooperation between the companies could create synergies spanning aircraft platforms, engines, radar systems, weapons integration and space-related businesses.

The increased stake also comes as Hanwha pursues a large-scale investment strategy focused on aerospace, space and artificial intelligence. The group recently announced plans to invest a total of 55 trillion won in aerospace and AI businesses between this year and 2040.

Hanwha Aerospace plans to invest 23 trillion won in launch vehicle programs, including assembly facilities and development test infrastructure. The company also plans to invest 2 trillion won in defense AI, developing crewed-uncrewed weapons for air and ground use and crewed-uncrewed integrated combat systems.

Hanwha Systems plans to invest 20 trillion won in satellite-related businesses, including very low Earth orbit synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, space-based AI data centers and low Earth orbit satellite communications networks.

The cities of Sacheon, where KAI is headquartered, and Changwon, home to major Hanwha Aerospace operations, are expected to play increasingly important roles in Hanwha's aerospace strategy. The group is also envisioning a southern aerospace corridor linking Changwon, Sacheon and the Naro Space Center in Goheung.

LS Electric and GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C) have agreed to collaborate on direct current (DC) power distribution technology and power equipment supply for artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

LS Electric said on Aug. 10 that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with GS E&C to jointly respond to changes in the AI data center business environment. Under the agreement, the companies will develop next-generation DC power distribution technologies aimed at improving power efficiency in high-power, high-density AI data centers.

As part of the partnership, LS Electric will supply key electrical equipment for AI data center projects being developed by GS E&C, including switchboards, gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) and extra-high-voltage transformers.

LS Electric is currently developing DC power distribution products such as solid-state transformers (SSTs), solid-state circuit breakers (SSCBs) and energy storage systems (ESS). The company has also established a production facility at its Cheonan site in South Chungcheong Province that operates entirely on a DC power distribution system.

An LS Electric official said demand for DC power distribution technologies is increasing as operators seek to improve the power efficiency of AI data centers.